THE TOWNLAND OF MOYROURKAN

The townland of Moyrourkan is in the parish of Mullaghbrack in Armagh County.
It is labelled number 35 on the map.

Paterson (Armachiana, Vol. 16, p.26) notes:

The prefix [‘moy’]… derives from the word magh, meaning a plain, and is fairly common appearing as a name or initial portion of a name in over 230 cases.

The Environment and Heritage Service Agency Sites and Monuments Record (2002)
notes the following in this townland:

Rath from the Early Christian period
SMR NO: ARM 017:002
GRIDREF: H99824251
“Located S of an abandoned settlement, the site has been altered by enclosures
& subsequent cultivation. A low, roughly circular platform c.48m N-S x 51
m E-W, raised 0.3-1 m is still visible. The perimeter around the N half is
recognisable as a gentle break in slope while field boundaries have preserved
a more pronounced scarp to the S. Faint traces of a silted ditch survive on
the N but all the other ditches which surround the site seem to be modern.”

Rath from the Early Christian period
SMR NO: ARM 017:003
GRIDREF: J00364263
“An irregular oval platform, the SE half of which has been raised considerably
to create a level interior. The perimeter at this point is marked by a steep
scarp falling c.3m which becomes less pronounced towards the N. The N side
is protected by a bank c.4m wide & c.2m high above the base of a shallow ditch,
also c.4m wide. On the W a low bank is visible, but the ditch has been exaggerated
by a farm lane. The site measures 33.5m N-S x 41 m E- W. There is no evidence
for an original entrance.”

Rath from the Early Christian period
SMR NO: ARM 017:005
GRIDREF: H99684187
“Only the N & S sides of this monument have survived intact. On the E
the perimeter has been levelled & only a slight terrace can be identified,
while part of the W side appears to have fallen away. In spite of this, the
dimensions indicate a roughly circular monument 46.5m N-S x 42m E-W. A substantial
bank c.1.2 high x c.5m wide is preserved on the N. From the top of the bank
a scarp falls to the base of a ditch 4.5m wide x 1.5-2m deep. The bank is
lower at the S – 0.5m high. See SM7 file for details.”

PRONI records: D.1607/10 (Irish Land Commission sale papers re estate of C.Brinsley
Marley.); D.943/2 (Graham estate.); OS/6/2/13/1 (Surveyed 1834-35. Engraved
1835.); OS/6/2/13/2 (Surveyed 1834-35. Revised 1860. Engraved 1863 (Stat file
copy).); OS/6/2/13/3 (Surveyed 1834-35. Revised 1905-06. Published 1930.); OS/6/2/13/4
(Surveyed 1905-06. Revised 1954-55. Levelled 1888 and 1892 and 1902, 1905-1906.
Levels part revised 1948. Published 1958. (2 copies).); OS/6/2/17/1 (Surveyed
1835. Engraved 1835.); OS/6/2/17/2 (Surveyed 1835. Engraved 1835. Revised 1860.
Engraved 1863.); OS/6/2/17/3 (Surveyed 1835. Revised 1906. Published 1908. Reprinted
1929, 1932.); OS/6/2/17/4 (Surveyed 1906. Revised 1954-5. Levelled 1889, 1892
and 1906. Published 1958 (2 copies).); VAL/1B/231 (1st valuation records.);
VAL/12B/11/3A, VAL/12B/11/3B, VAL/12B/11/3C, VAL/12B/11/3D, VAL/12B/11/3E (Valuation
annual revision list.); VAL/2B/2/29 (Griffith valuation list.).

H998428